Updated: July 14, 2020 (July 29, 2013)
SidebarWhat Is Modern (aka Metro)?
When Microsoft first described its new user interface (UI) for Windows Phone and Windows 8, it referred to that UI using the term Metro. After the release of Windows 8, Microsoft advised customers and developers that it would no longer use this term. Instead, the UI is typically referred to as Modern UI, and the Modern applications are often called Windows Store applications.
Microsoft has been emphasizing the Modern design across nearly all of its platforms. The primary application environment in Windows 8 is based on Modern. Windows 8 also provides desktop mode, which is very similar to the Windows 7 UI, but it is de-emphasized relative to the new Modern environment.
The Modern design style was first used by Microsoft in 2004 with the introduction of Windows Media Center and was subsequently used on Zune media devices, Windows Phone 7, and Xbox. The style has become ubiquitous at the company, even appearing in its marketing and presentation materials.
According to Microsoft, Modern’s design philosophy combines influences from several sources:
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